Webster's English Dictionary

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mission

1. mis.sion \'mish-*n\ n [NL, ML, & L; NL mission-, missio religious 
   mission, fr. ML, task a]ssigned, fr. L, act of sending, fr. missus, pp. of 
   mittere obs  1: the act or an instance of sending  2a: a ministry 
   commissioned by a religious organization to propagate its fa ith or carry 
   on humanitarian work 2b: assignment to or work in a field of missionary 
   enterprise  2c1: a mission establishment  2c2: a local church or parish 
   dependent on a larger religious organization  for direction or financial 
   support pl  2d: organized missionary work  2e: a course of sermons and 
   services given to convert to or quicken Christi an faith 3: a body of 
   persons sent to perform a service or carry on an activity : as  3a: a group 
   sent to a foreign country to conduct diplomatic or political ne gotiations 
   3b: a permanent embassy or legation  3c: a team of specialists or cultural 
   leaders sent to a foreign country  4: a task or function assigned or 
   undertaken 
2. mission \'mish-(*-)nin\ vt or mis.sion.ing 1: to send on or entrust with 
   a mission  2: to carry on a religious mission among or in 
3. mission aj : of or relating to a style used in the early Spanish 
   missions of the sou thwestern U.S. {~ architecture}